Dobby actuating mechanism for multi-filling insertion

ABSTRACT

A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system for use in connection with shuttleless looms where a plurality of yarns are presented for insertion into the warp shed, the improved system includes means whereby the various cables that connect the dobby to the yarn selecting mechanism are connected by means that permits initial movement of the dobby connecting cables before any commensurate movement of the yarn selecting cables is effected.

United States Patent Morris Oct. 28, 1975 DOBBY ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MULTI-FILLING INSERTION David W. Morris, Slatersville, R.l.

Rockwell International Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed: on. 9, 1973 Appl. No.: 404,437

Published under the Trial Voluntary Protest Program on January 28, 1975 as document no. B 404,437.

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. 139/122 W; 139/122 W Int. Cl. D03D 47/38 Field of Search 1.39/122 W, 122 H, 122 R,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1966 Golobart 139/122 W 3,439,715 4/1969 Juillard 139/122 W Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon [5 7] ABSTRACT A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system for use in connection with shuttleless looms where a plurality of yarns are presented for insertion into the warp shed, the improved system includes means whereby the various cables that connect the dobby to the yarn selecting mechanism are connected by means that permits initial movement of the dobby connecting cables before any commensurate movement of the yarn selecting cables is effected.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure US. Patent 'Oct. 28, 1975 DOBBY ACTUATING MECIIANISM F OR MULTI-FILLING INSERTION- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The shuttleless looms of the type with which this invention is most applicable make use of weft yarn which is supplied from a stationarysource or sources. Selection of yarn is desirable in many cases from the standpoint of providing color selection and also from the standpoint of providing different weights or types of yarn to obtain what generally might be called a textured fabric. One of the common types of shuttleless looms is that in which a weft carrier is moved into and out of the'shed formed between sheets of wrap yarns by a flexible tape that is attached to a tape wheel. There is, of course, a tape wheel mounted adjacent each side of the loom since each carrier moves only approximately one half the way through the total warp shed.

In order that the carrier perform its function reliably over extended periods of time, it is necessary that the selected yarn to be inserted be presented to an active inserting position with a high degree of accuracy and reliability. Should improper positioning of the yarn occur, then the carrier may completely miss the yarn and no weft insertion will occur. Such an occurrence results in loom downtime, requires the attention of a loom attendant and in many cases causes fabric defects.

Various types of yarn selecting systems for presenting one of several available yarns for insertion by a suitable carrier have been known. These devices have been operated and controlled in a variety of fashions such as, for example, by punched control tapes and pattern chains. Most of these devices have entailed a high degree of mechanical complexity which while many times effective, also results in maintenance difficulties and operational malfunctions. Additionally, other types utilize combinations of mechanical and electromagnetic controls but these too have been difficult to operate and yet achieve the degree of simplicity and operational reliability required.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved dobby control weft yarn selecting system which combines simplicity of construction and operation to obtain operational reliability.

A further object of this invention is to provide a weft yarn selecting mechanism in which a textile dobby is used to select a given yarn from a plurality of sources for insertion into the warp shed on a shuttleless loom.

Yet another of this invention is to provide a dobby control weft yarn selecting system in which the yarn is moved into position by a plurality of weft insertion elements and in which no dobby motion is imported to the selecting elements.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part obvious and in part explained by reference to the accompanying specification and drawing in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIG. is a side elevation, particularly fragmentary of a weft yarn selecting system according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing there is shown a plurality of yarn engaging elements that are arranged in fan-like configuration in a housing 11 so that as the elements are moved from an upper inactive position to a lower active or yarn presenting position, the end of each element 10 will always be located in the same position. The improved selection system of this invention is applicable to other types of yarn presenting mechanisms but it is particularly useful with those constructions that operate in the manner of elements 10 within housing 1 1. For a more detailed showing and description of this type of yarn presenting mechanism, reference can be made to the co-pending application of E. S. Budzyna, Ser. No. 258,554 filed June 1, 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,782,421 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Each of the yarn elements 10 is continuously biased toward the yarn presenting position by the coil springs 12 that are secured at their lower ends to extensions 13 on housing 1 l and upper posts 14 that are attached to or form a part of the upper end of each of the yarn elements 10-. The housing 11 is itself appropriately mounted on the frame 15 that is secured to the main frame of the loom.

The yarn elements 10 are normally maintained in their uppermost, retracted, inactive position by the act of actuating cables 20 that are also attached to the upper ends of each of the yarn elements 10. These actuating cables may conveniently take the form of Bowden wires, although the particular type of cable used is 7 not important to this invention. The construction shown in FIG. 1 illustrates that the upper, free ends of cable 20 are fastened to a bracket 21 that is itself secured by a suitable fastener 22 to the frame 15. From this mounting the inner cores of the actuating cables are joined to connecters 23. Each of these connecters is in turn slidably attached to a lever member or platelike element 25 that is mounted for pivoting about axis 26 so that it can move between the lower active position 27 and the upper inactive position 28, as shown in the drawing. This plate-like means 25 serves as a means which operably connects actuating cables 30 with the upper, free ends of actuating cables 20. At one end the cables 30 are connected to the dobby jacks 31 and at the other or free end are slidably joined to the platelike members 25 as indicated by the number 32.

Also connected to plate-like members 25 are springs 35 which at their lower ends are connected to a bracket 36' that is in turn secured to frame 15. The upper ends of springs 35 are connected to plate-like members 25 so that they continuously bias these members toward a position where all of the control elements 10 are in the inactive position until the dobby jacks have moved element 25 to the lower position 27, thereby permitting a spring 12 to pull one of the elements 10 to its lower, active position.

Two important features of the means for operably connecting the free ends of the actuating cables to the free ends of the control cables is that those ends of the respective cables that are not connected to the dobby jacks and to the selecting elements that are slidably connected to member 25. As can be seen, the operating connection 32 is made possible by virtue of a generally horizontally extending slot 39. This slot makes it possible for a control cable 30 to commence initial movement without effecting similar movement of an actuating cable 20, because element 25 will not begin to rotate until the fastener 32 travels the entire length of slot 37. That is when a control cable 30 begins its movement from a position designated as A toward position designed as B, there will be no corresponding movement of elements 25 from position 28 into position 27 until cable 30 can move fastener 32 to the end of slot 37 and overcome the restraining force of spring 35. When the full length of slot 39 has been traversed then control cable 30 will rotate the member 25 and the upper end of actuator cable connecters 23 will ride in the arcuate slot 40. This permits spring 12 to pull the selected element downwardly into the selected position. It will be noted that the slots 39 and 40 are disposed in directions that are substantially at right angles with respect to each other. This arrangement permits maximum operation characteristics while keeping the size of the apparatus and power requirements at minimum values. The fact that elements 23 are slidably disposed within slot 40 eliminates any dancing of the element 10 which might otherwise occur. Dancing would result from movement of dobby jacks 31 that is caused by the control elements that determine the movement of dobby jacks 31. Thus, even though element 25 might be oscillating due to the action of the dobby, none of this motion will be transmitted to the selecting elements 10. Thus, positive location of the yarn element in the selected position with complete accuracy is assured.

Also the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and the scope of the invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system for use with a shuttleless loom to present yarn from a stationary source to a preselected location for insertion into a warp shed, said system comprising:

a. a plurality of yarn engaging elements for moving the yarns between active and inactive positions;

b. actuating cables connected at one end to said yarn engaging elements;

c. control cables connected at one end to the dobby;

and

d. a lever member pivotable between a lower active position and an upper inactive position having means for slidably and operatively connecting the free ends of said actuating cables to the free ends of said control cables whereby a selected yarn engaging element is delayed in its movement into and from the active position.

2. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said control cables and said actuating cables are connected for sliding movement in directions substantially at right angles with respect to each other.

3. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein biasing means are provided to urge said means operably connecting the free ends of said actuating cables and said control cables toward a position where all of said control elements are in the inactive position. 

1. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system for use with a shuttleless loom to present yarn from a stationary source to a preselected location for insertion into a warp shed, said system comprising: a. a plurality of yarn engaging elements for moving the yarns between active and inactive positions; b. actuating cables connected at one end to said yarn engaging elements; c. control cables connected at one end to the dobby; and d. a lever member pivotable between a lower active position and an upper inactive position having means for slidably and operatively connecting the free ends of said actuating cables to the free ends of said control cables whereby a selected yarn engaging element is delayed in its movement into and from the active position.
 2. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said control cables and said actuating cables are connected for sliding movement in directions substantially at right angles with respect to each other.
 3. A dobby controlled weft yarn selecting mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein biasing means are provided to urge said means operably connecting the free ends of said actuating cables and said control cables toward a position where all of said control elements are in the inactive position. 